MISSION
The mission of the TEDU Department of City and Regional Planning is to provide an educational environment that enables students to address spatial, social, and environmental problems emerging at urban and regional scales through a holistic approach; to develop analytical thinking, research, and design skills together; and to embrace participatory, transparent, and ethical planning processes. The department aims to educate planners who effectively use current data sources and analytical methods, uphold the public interest, and are sensitive to the principles of spatial justice and sustainability.
VISION
The vision of the TEDU Department of City and Regional Planning is to become a respected department that contributes to knowledge production at national and international levels by fostering an academic environment in which rapidly transforming urban and regional dynamics can be evaluated from a critical perspective, multi-scalar planning processes can be comprehended holistically, and innovative policy and design solutions can be developed.
In line with TED University’s student-centered educational approach, the processes of analysis, synthesis, and decision-making required by the planning discipline are supported through studio work, field research, and data-driven methods. Within this framework, the department aims to equip students with the ability to identify problems at different spatial scales (neighborhood, city, region), evaluate these problems through quantitative and qualitative analyses, and transform solution proposals into applicable planning tools.
The department also seeks to develop students’ sensitivity to contemporary planning issues such as social and spatial inequalities, disasters and vulnerabilities, climate change, migration, and urban transformation, and to strengthen their capacity to produce policies in these areas. Participatory planning processes, governance mechanisms, and interdisciplinary collaborations are among the core components of the education provided.
In line with these goals, and in harmony with TEDU’s liberal education approach, the department aims to equip students not only with technical knowledge but also with the skills of critical thinking, ethical judgment, social responsibility, and collaboration with diverse actors. In this way, graduates are expected to take active roles in professional and academic fields as planners who are responsive to complex urban and regional problems, capable of producing solutions, and committed to prioritizing the public good.